Victory! For Now…
Because of you and the effort of thousands of tenants across Jersey City, we have passed right to counsel.
The fight is not over. Sign the petition, join the campaign to build lasting organization of tenants and workers in Jersey City.
We are in a housing crisis.
The pandemic has left millions at risk of losing their homes with rents reaching record highs and evictions exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
Nationwide, when facing eviction, on average, only 3% of tenants are represented by a lawyer in housing court, compared to 81% of landlords. Jersey City is now the most expensive city in the nation for renters. It's time working class Jersey City residents fight back and build power as organized tenants.
Only a movement
Only a mass movement of tenants; working class Jersey City residents can win housing justice.
Right to Counsel JC is a coalition campaign led by DSA looking to pass a strong right to counsel ordinance and build lasting organization of tenants in Jersey City. We knock doors, make calls, and build tenant power in order to win our demands.
Our Right to Counsel Ordinance
Enshrines a tenants’ right to counsel that defends, affirms and promotes housing justice in Jersey City.
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All tenants in Jersey City will be guaranteed legal counsel regardless of income or any other status.
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RTC JC will provide representation for those facing eviction, terminations of subsidy, violations of rent control, and other code enforcement and habitability issues.
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Those responsible for the housing crisis should be the ones that pay. This program will be funded by fees on new development that Jersey City fails to collect.
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Legal services will be administered by a new Office of the Right to Counsel in City Hall, which will have annual reporting requirements and be advised by organized tenants.
“We fight for RTC because it would empower Jersey City tenants to combat unfair evictions and habitability issues, help keep working people in their homes, and transfer millions from corporate developers to our city’s affordable housing trust fund.”
NJ.COM OPINION | READ MORE
“You have some really terrible landlords in this City and we want laws in place when they try to squeeze tenants”
MAYOR FULOP | READ MORE
Sign the petition.
Entitles every tenant to an attorney as a right in any eviction.
Covers all tenants in all housing types, and applies to affirmative proceedings where tenants have to sue their landlords (habitability/code violations, discrimination, improper termination of housing subsidies, enforcement of restraining orders).
Is funded by those who have created the housing crisis: real estate developers.
Establishes an Office of Right to Counsel in City Hall that is accountable to the people.
Funds implementation, advocacy, and tenant education.
We need your help to pass a Right to Counsel in Jersey City that:
Upcoming events.
Join tenants across the city and fight back. Attend a canvass, phone bank or city council meeting. The only way we win is with a mass movement of working class renters.
